Employers, Insurers Begin To Reduce Or Eliminate Prescription Drug Copays For Some Chronic Disease Medications

This is a puzzling matter as the emphasis is to address chronic diseases and from what I have read here, it looks like it is going to be a bit more difficult to receive co-pay coverage in the future as things evolve.  On the other side of the coin, many of the medications are available for the $4.00 charge at Target and WalMart/Sam's Club, so it looks like this is being bounced back to the patient to shop prescription costs once more.   Perhaps this is what the insurance companies have in mind?  BD

Employers such as Marriott International, Procter & Gamble, Eastman Chemical and Pitney Bowes have begun to reduce or eliminate copays for certain medications. Andrew Scibelli -- manager of the health management programs at Florida Power & Light, which has considered the reduction or elimination of copays for medications for diabetes and coronary artery disease -- said, "Cost shifting (onto employees) is the easier way to attack cost. But it comes right back at you because you're not attacking the root cause."

Health insurer Aetna later this year plans to launch "one of the most ambitious studies of the tailored approach" to copays for medications, the Journal reports. For the study, Aetna will eliminate copays for the four classes of prescription medications recommended for individuals who have experienced heart attacks: statins, ace inhibitors, beta blockers and ARBs.

Source: Employers, Insurers Begin To Reduce Or Eliminate Prescription Drug Copays For Some Chronic Disease Medications